mo brothers

Review: HEADSHOT Aims High, Nails It With Ballistic Action And Blunt Force

Sometimes I look back on Iko Uwais’s career, and reflect on what life would be like without his prospects, and I think life would be a bit more boring without films such as Merantau and The Raid movies. In that sense, I think there’s something providential here and especially since we now live in a time when action movies really could use a kick in the nuts, and there’s no question that Uwais has been a leading force in that movement in the last eight years. For this, whenever most of of us who were born in the 80’s or 90’s think of the martial arts genre, we don’t just think of the usual enterprises in the U.S. and U.K., or throughout Asia such as, Hong Kong or Korea and the like. Nope, our view has stretched beyond that measure with many places brewing with talent and a surge in […]

HEADSHOT Lands Itself New Japanese Poster Art And Trailer For Its March 11 Release

Lee B. Golden III

I didn’t even look at the new Japanese trailer for the nation’s upcoming release of the new Mo Bros’ thriller, Headshot, lest I further break my abstinence. Alas, it’s available above and with none other than Iko Uwais lead the cast for a story of an amnesiac, wounded and held in a nurse’s own care until he’s forced to confront his dark and deadly past now threatening his future. The film has since been a festival favorite everywhere it’s been at and officially released in Indonesia. Now it’s rolling out abroad with March 3 dates set for the U.S. and U.K. and Nikkatsu will be doling out the thrills to Japanese moviegoers on March 11, and they’ve since erected a new poster below to signal just that. Take a look!

There’s So Much New Footage In The U.S. Trailer For HEADSHOT…You’ve Been Warned!

Lee B. Golden III

With March 3 already set for the release of X-Men spin-off Wolverine finale, Logan, hardcore R-rated moviegoing types are now more than welcome to set the date for a double feature if they so choose, specifically for those who’ve been pining for the release of Iko Uwais headliner, Headshot from Vertical Entertainment and XYZ Films. To be frank though, their latest trailer is out and I myself have all but avoided seeing any more new footage until now, and I feel like I’ve utterly failed and spoiled myself to no end. I might just go and down a whole two liter bottle of Pepsi and fuck my kidneys up to finish myself off because this is awful… not the movie judging by Alex Chung’s awesome review among others, of course, but me breaking my own abstinence here… Ugh. SYNOPSIS: HEADSHOT centers on a mysterious young man who, after months in a […]

The Final Trailer For HEADSHOT Relishes In Brooding And Brutality

Lee B. Golden III

I’m already sold on the new Mo Bros thriller, Headshot, going into the new year. Nonetheless, the film is out now in Indonesia, accompanied by a third, final trailer to help pull in the masses. I love the marketing push for this kind of film and I certainly hope we will see more martial arts films step up to the plate in the same fashion. Iko Uwais stars as a wounded amnesiac forced to reckon with his past when the life of the nurse who kept him in her care hangs in the balance. Also starring are the beautiful and talented Chelsea Islan and Julie Estelle, and Singaporean action star, actor Sunny Pang. Release dates for other territories remain pending.

HEADSHOT Ignites Online With Thrilling Behind-The-Scenes Footage

Lee B. Golden III

Read our latest interview Singaporean action star Sunny Pang and you’ll learn quite a bit about his career, family life and goals through next year, including the currently completed Diamond Dogs, and the long-awaited production of The Night Comes For Us which starts rolling cameras in December. In the meantime, perhaps some of the best news you’ll see in press as of late will pertain to the upcoming release of the new ‘Mo Brothers movie, Headshot, releasing on December 8 in Indonesia followed by a wider release in 2017. Starring opposite Pang is actor and martial artist Iko Uwais who succeeds his stardom following his acclaim in Gareth Huw Evans’s Merantau, The Raid and The Raid 2. Uwais plays Ishmael, fondly named by the nurse caring for him when he discovered with a serious head wound and severe memory loss, only to trigger a series of events that put her […]

Iko Uwais Awakens To Anarchy In The Second Teaser For HEADSHOT

Lee B. Golden III

Our own Alex Chung’s TIFF review is among others at this stage delineating why the new Indonesian action thriller, Headshot, should garner our attention when it hits theaters between now and next year. Multiple territories have already been announced for the film’s release with North America gearing up for a February opening next year from Vertical Entertainment and XYZ Films, and with a full trailer still pending, a second teaser has arrived to further keep the pot boiling with action star, actor Iko Uwais championing the genre once more. A mysterious young man jolts awake after months in a coma, nursed back to health by young student-doctor Ailin after being discovered left for dead with a gunshot wound to the head. It’s a rebirth of sorts and, realizing that the man has lost his memory and identity, Ailin renames him Ishmael. The two quickly grow closer, not realizing that behind […]

HEADSHOT Sells To Multiple Territories Worldwide

Lee B. Golden III

If there was ever a screening I wish I could have attended, it’s the Mo’ Bros’s Midnight Madness premiere at TIFF a few weekends ago of the new movie, Headshot. Thankfully our own Alex Chung managed a trip to review it for us and you can click here in case you missed it and are curious about what the film has to offer. As such, the film is still circulating in festivals, and to great acclaim this week with a victory over at L’Etrange where it now shares The Grand Nouveax Genre Award with another title, Gabrielle Mainetti’s They Call Me Jeeg Robot. The film is also slated for screenings at Fantastic Fest starting next week and Mayhem in the U.K. next month along with line-ups at Sitges and Busan. As for all else, folks with proximity issues regarding festivals will still be able to catch the film upon its […]

Take A Gander At The Midnight Madness Premiere Of HEADSHOT With The Cast And Crew!

Lee B. Golden III

For some like myself, the weekend was really nothing more than that. For others, however, particularly for folks attending TIFF’s Midnight Madness line-up world premiere of the new movie, Headshot, the past seventy-two hours have been nothing short of bustling. Reviews (such as ours) now making the rounds are showing of a large voice of support for the film directed by Timo Tjahjanto and Kimo Stamboel and starring Iko Uwais as an amnesiac forced to face his violent past and protect his future. That story joins him with Chelsea Islan, Julie Estelle and Sunny Pang, all whom took to Toronto over the weekend to hype the film ahead of its Friday night world premiere, and thankfully, there’s some video to share from the eventful evening courtesy of journalist Robert A. Mitchell who documents a small batch of Q&A’s with the cast, a 22-minute session with the cast and audience, and […]

TIFF 2016: Iko ‘Raids’ Audience Appeal In Mo Bros’ Killer Romp, HEADSHOT

Alex Chung

If you need your Indonesian action film fix (complete with The Raid and The Raid 2 star Iko Uwais beating enemies silly) then look no further than his latest, Headshot. Directed by Kimo Stamboel and Timo Tjahjanto (Killers, Macabre), this is a film that will no doubt be compared to The Raid films. They do share the sweet combination of ultra-violence and martial arts, not surprising since it’s the Uwais Team choreographing the mayhem. But first, the story… Iko stars as a man who washes ashore and can’t remember who he is due to a nasty head injury. As his memories return via jarring headaches, so do his deadly skills of dispatching enemies. While it does sound like The Bourne Identity, martial arts movie fans will have more to look forward to as our hero regains his abilities. Chelsea Islan plays a doctor who nurses him back to health but […]

HEADSHOT Goes For The Kill In The Brutal New Teaser Ahead Of Its TIFF Premiere!

Lee B. Golden III

Recent years have certainly seen promience within Indonesia’s film circles. It is of a slow but steady kind and due largely in part to the proliferation of its most notable player, Iko Uwais, undeniable in the work he’s put in to becoming a formidable, game-changing star, and he assuredly has changed it to some degree. His screen caliber as a martial artist and actor have all but sharpened since debuting in the 2009 action drama, Merantau. Following that with crime hits The Raid and The Raid 2 and save for a few albeit minimal cameos in Man Of Tai Chi and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, there’s no question that there are, indeed, directors who know how to utilize Uwais’s skillset appropriately. Thus, we now come to the latest work from Timo Tjahjanto and Kimo Stamboel, the hit film duo behind the 2014 slasher, Killers. They’re back, and this time […]

TIFF 2016: Mo Bros’ HEADSHOT Lands A Killer New Poster

Lee B. Golden III

If you’ve been pressing your finger on the pulse between fan blogs since earlier this year, chances are that you might have caught a blurred glimpse of the first poster for the new Mo Brothers-directed thriller, Headshot. Well, we are only days away from the film’s premiere heralding the return of action star, actor Iko Uwais, and with him, the acclaim so rightly deserved by Indonesian cinema for its accomplishments in the action genre as of late. Thus, the Toronto International Film Festival will be where the movie makes its first stop with Uwais leading along with actress Chelsea Islan, Julie Estelle and Sunny Pang among the cast for a gritty, brutal tale of vengeance and redemption for a mysterious man forced to confront his past following a brutal head injury. The film has since finally landed a pristine, high quality version of the aforementioned poster ahead of its TIFF […]

TIFF 2016: Mo Bros' HEADSHOT Wraps With New Images, Official Trailer Possibly Next Month

Lee B. Golden III

After two years of post-Raid hype and it’s plain to see how painstaking it feels just waiting for the next big Iko Uwais-led action movie to hit the big screen. Thankfully, the time since then hasn’t entirely been for naught with the Merantau star making a few notable splashes in Hollywood whilst keeping things afloat on the local end, and principally with hit horror genre duo, the Mo Brothers – Timo Tjahjanto and Kimo Stamboel (Macabre, Killers). Plans to work together have come and gone in the past few years but has since led to the production of the new action thriller, Headshot, with Uwais back on camera as an amnesiac with a head wound whose violent past comes back to haunt him. The film officially completed production on August 11 with plans set in motion for its world premiere for the Midnight Madness line-up at next month’s Toronto International […]

Sunny Pang Lends An Evil Stare Along With A Masked Julie Estelle In New Photos From HEADSHOT

Lee B. Golden III

Star Wars fans may be getting their Iko Uwais fix in J.J. Abrams’s newest movie set in a galaxy far far away this week. In the meantime, production remains on going for the latter portion of his newest title with director pair, the Mo Brothers’, Headshot. Filming is almost complete for the new movie which began early last month seeing Uwais in the role of an amnesiac mysteriously injured and in the care of a nurse who treats him until his violent past catches up to him accordingly. Such a plot sets things up quite nicely for an Uwais vehicle as this and with directors Timo Tjahjanto and Kimo Stamboel back together at the helm following the 2014 horror hit, Killers. That said, Tjahanto is still rolling out some of the best gems from the lens and with some amazing shots at our characters. The production itself is something I […]

Mo' Brothers Action Thriller, HEADSHOT Gets US, Asia And Japan Distribution

Lee B. Golden III

Photo: Instagram Action star Iko Uwais still draws a multitude of eyes for fans pining for more following his successes from 2010 and onward with martial arts drama, Merantau, and The Raid franchise. Since then with several appearances lined-up including Star Wars: The Force Awakens this December and next year’s Beyond Skyline, Uwais has already gone deep into his latest immersive role as an amnesiac on the run in the new movie, Headshot. Filming began earlier this month with Uwais leading the cast next to Chelsea Islan, Julie Estelle and Sunny Pang. The film hails from Killers helmer Timo Tjahjanto and Kimo Stamboel with a script by Tjahjanto which sees Uwais mysteriously losing his memory and being treated by a nurse only to be subsequently plunged back into action when his past catches up to him. Of course, with the American Film Market having been active over in Santa Monica […]

Well Go USA Unveils Its Trailer For Mo Brothers Thriller, KILLERS

Lee B. Golden III

2014 was a great year for directing duo, “Mo” Brothers — Kimo Stamboel and Timo Tjahjanto and producer Gareth Evans with the acclaim they’ve received in the months after debuting Sundance 2014 fave, Killers. The film earned its simultaneous praise alongside Evans’s equally smashing debut of The Raid 2 as both films were produced by Evans’s banner, PT Merantau Films among others, with Killers ultimately doing well for itself upon its release in Indonesia back in February. Now, moviegoers who were unable to attend the gala at Sundance are finally getting their chance to see what the fuss is all about with Well Go USA proudly releasing the film theatrically and digitally on January 23, 2015, setting up for what will likely be one of the most intense, violent and thrilling films you’ll ever see on the big screen. It will also serve as a great precursor to the upcoming […]

Watch The Final Trailer For KILLERS!

Lee B. Golden III

Ahead of its four-night run at this year’s Sundance Film Festival premiering January 20, 2014, we have a final trailer for the “Mo” Brothers’ upcoming thriller, Killers. The latest collabroation between Nikkatsu, Merantau Films, Guerilla Merah Films and XYZ Films, Killers presents a bone-chilling international story of two men from different areas engaged in an online bromance made in murderous, bloody hell. Set for a theatrical release in Japan and Indonesia on February 1 and 9, respectively, Killers stars Kazuki Kitamura and The Raid 2: Berandal‘s Oka Antara, with Rin Takanashi, Luna Maya and Ray Sahetapy. The film was written by Takuji Ushiyama, and produced and directed by Kimo Stamboel, and co-writer Timo Tjahjanto. SYNOPSIS: Mr. Nomura is an eerily handsome, sharply dressed, sociopathic serial killer who preys on the women of Tokyo. In Jakarta, a world-weary journalist named Bayu finds himself unexpectedly falling into vigilantism after brutally killing two […]

The New Teaser For KILLERS Is Online

Lee B. Golden III

Kicking off the first day of October is the new teaser for the upcoming psychological horror thriller, Killers. The film is the latest work from acclamed directors, the Mo Brothers-Kimo Stamboel and co-writer Timo Tjahhanto, which teams them up with Japanese production company Nikkatsu, XYZ Films and Merantau/The Raid/The Raid 2 helmer Gareth Evans under his production banner, PT Merantau Films. Killers stars Kazuki Kitamura, Luna Maya, Oka Antara, Rin Takanashi and Ray Sahetapy, and is set for release in early February 2014. For more information and further updates, visit their official Facebook and Twitter links as shown in the end of the teaser. SYNOPSIS: A dark psychological look into the minds of two men with nothing in common: Nomura, a self-obsessed serial killer residing in Tokyo and Bayu, a failing journalist and a struggling father in Jakarta. Connected through violent incidents, both men inexplicably start to feed off each […]

New Poster Art From THE NIGHT COMES FOR US Highlights A Year Loaded With Promise

Lee B. Golden III

Best year ever? I’d say. Let’s get started. 😉 Back in 2010 through May of 2012, as PT Merantau Films made headlines with the impending international success of director Gareth Evans hit films like Merantau and Seruban Maut a.k.a. The Raid: Redemption, it was also reported that the same company, in addition to the upcoming sequel in the works, would also be putting out two new genre films. Today, one of those films is back in the headlines with some gritty new artwork as Twitchfilm now reports the first film with a script still in the process of being written will be a neo-noir hitman thriller set in the U.K. titled, The Night Comes For Us. The film, which is neither a martial arts nor a horror film (making this one possibly just an action thriller, though the jury is still out, I’d say) is being co-written by director Timo […]